Zebra mussels confirmed in Clear Lake near Jenkins

Zebra mussels next to a ruler. — Zebra mussels found by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Clear Lake near Jenkins.

By Dispatch staff report

July 13, 2022 at 4:45 AM

JENKINS — The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources confirmed a report of zebra mussels in Clear Lake, near Jenkins in Crow Wing County.

DNR fisheries staff found an adult zebra mussel on survey equipment while working in Clear Lake. DNR invasive species staff found adult zebra mussels in several areas of the 225-acre lake during a response survey.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:

Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one water body to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:

Decontaminate watercraft and equipment – find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website at mndnr.gov/Decon .
Spray with high-pressure water or rinse with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.

Zebra mussels can compete with native species for food and habitat, cut the feet of swimmers, reduce the performance of boat motors, and cause expensive damage to water intake pipes.
People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist ( mndnr.gov/Invasives/AIS/Contacts.html ) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species.

More information is available on the Aquatic Invasive Species page of the DNR website at mndnr.gov/AIS .

By Dispatch staff report

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "staff." Often, the "staff" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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